Sunday Tea Party

A small get together for some girlfriends. Various teas served alongside scrumptious treats.  

Menu:

Popovers with butter, blackberry jam, blueberry jam or apple butter

Cranberry Chicken Salad on sourdough bread

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Teas:

Jamaican Red Rooibos (Rishi)

Green Mint (Rishi)

Huckleberry (a black tea from Ashland Coffee and Tea)

Blueberry Red Iced Tea (Rishi)

And we move on to the bedroom

Decorating a house is fun, but a lot of work and can be expensive.  I usually focus on just one room at a time.  The living room and dining room are pretty much done.  I do need curtains for both, but I haven't found any that have wow'ed me yet.  Curtains really do pull a room together, but when panels are only sold one to a package it can get pretty pricey.

Here are some additions I have made recently:

Bedside rug found at Marshalls:

Curtain print found at World Market:

New nightstand found at Trash and Class on Rt 1 in Ashland, Va and new rug found at Marshalls:

April Smith and the Great Picture Show

I usually do not post about music, but I am just so enamored with this lovely gals sweet, sweet music.  Successfully pulling from ragtime, jazz, swing, cabaret, as well as pop and belting out sassy lyrics.  Check her out por favor.

Mother Maybelle's Cookbook

A lot of basic recipes, but also packed with stories about times growing up. This was my grandmother's and gave it to me as a wedding gift. She knows how much I love Johnny Cash and June Cater. She also had it signed by June Carter on the inside. I hold it dear to my heart.


Never know, maybe it will get me on Antique Roadshow one day in the future. Oh, what a dream!

Corn Bread

1 cup flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon bacon grease or butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup corn, either frozen and thawed or canned (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and salt. For cornbread that is a tad less sweet only use 2 tablespoons sugar.  Add the bacon grease or butter to a 10-13 inch cast iron skillet or 9 inch round baking pan.  Every time we make bacon, I put the grease in a tightly sealed jar and keep it in the refrigerator. So when I need grease I already have it. Plus it adds flavor. You will want to pull the grease jar out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Put the cast iron skillet or baking pan in oven to melt grease/butter.  Take out and swirl around to coat bottom and sides.  Add oil, eggs, and milk to bowl and stir with whisk until smooth.  Pour into pan and cook for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

An unexpected find

Wasn't expecting to find the perfect truck when I was out with a friend today.  We quickly popped into a consignment store to find her grandmother a Christmas gift when I spotted this trunk.  I have been looking at old trunks for awhile.  We had been using a white wicker chest as our coffee table, but it was not the look I was going for.  It was my husbands and it served its purpose until I found what I wanted.  We keep board games and throw blankets in the chest.  The others I had looked at were great, just too pricey.  This one came at a steal and in great condition.

Chocolate Covered Goodies

Chocolate covered Ritz crackers and graham crackers are super easy and fun to eat.  A good gift too!

You will need Almond Bark chocolate, which I have only found at Walmart.  You will need two packs of chocolate for one box of Ritz crackers.  The left over chocolate will make one and half individually wrapped packages of graham crackers.

Spread smooth peanut butter in between two Ritz crackers to make a sandwich:

Chunk the chocolate and place in a microwave safe bowl:

(this is one Almond Bark chocolate bar)

Heat for 90 seconds in the microwave and stir. Heat for fifteen minute intervals until smooth when stirred.

Use tongs or fingers to dip into chocolate.  Place on wax paper until chocolate is hard.

With the left over chocolate I made chocolate covered graham crackers.  I used the honey flavor and broke them in half.  Cover both sides with chocolate and place on wax paper.